1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a waterproof electrical connector apparatus for use in appliances such as mobile cellular phones and the like, having a simple and reliable structure.
2. Description of the Art
A top housing and a bottom housing of a mobile phone usually should be properly waterproofed. A connector of the mobile used for transmitting signals and charging also should be properly waterproofed. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional waterproof connector 5 used in a mobile phone comprises a housing 50, a plurality of conductive terminals 51, a plurality of charge terminals 520, a plurality of audio terminal 521, a waterproof gasket 53, a adaptor board 54, an elastic circuit board 55, a adaptor connector 56, and so on. The conductive terminals 51, the charge terminals 520 and the audio terminals 521 are inserted into the housing 50. The one end of each of the terminals 51, 520, 521 is received within the housing 50 for electrically contacting a mating connector (not shown), and the other end thereof extends outside the housing 50 for connecting with the adaptor board 54. The one end of the elastic circuit board 55 is electrically secured in the adaptor board 56 and is soldered to the conductive terminals 51, the charge terminals 520, the audio terminals 521 by a spot welded technique. The other end of the elastic circuit board 55 includes contacting tabs 551 for being inserted into the adaptor connector 56 assembled on a circuit board 6. Furthermore, a waterproof glue is filled with the adaptor board 54, the conductive terminals 51, the charge terminals 520 and audio terminals 521 for a waterproof purpose. A waterproof gasket 53 is assembled around an outside surface of the housing 50. Therefore, the connector 5 and the circuit board 6 is waterproofed. However, such a conventional connector 5 has following disadvantages:
(1) A complicated structure and high manufacture cost
The conductive terminals and the charge terminals of the conventional connector are connected to the elastic circuit board. The contacting tabs of the elastic circuit board electrically contact the circuit board. Those terminals therefore electrically contact the circuit board Such a structure requires a large number of components such as the adaptor board, the elastic circuit board and the adaptor connector. Obviously, such a structure is very complicated and cost inefficient. Besides the aforementioned components, the waterproof gasket is integrally formed on the housing so that an additional molding process for molding the waterproof gasket is needed.
(2) A unreliable electrical connection
The contact tabs of one end of the elastic circuit board are inserted into the adaptor connector so that the conventional connector is electrically connected to the circuit board. Because of the limited room between the top housing and bottom housing, the elastic circuit board is compressed and is inserted into the adaptor connector. Therefore, the elastic circuit board could be removed from the adaptor connector due to the improper operation by a user, especially, when the limited room between the top housing and the bottom housing is changed. So it is obvious that such a structure can not provide reliable electrical connection therebetween.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connector used in a mobile phone, having a simple structure, and facilitating the manufacture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector providing reliable electrical connection.
A main aspect of the present invention is to provide a connector comprising a plurality of terminals for electrically connecting a circuit board of a mobile phone, each terminal including a first contacting portion for electrically connecting to a mating connector, and a second contacting portion for electrically connecting to a circuit board. Each second contacting portion has a curved and elastic end for, in assembly, electrically contacting with corresponding pots on the circuit board.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a connector comprising a dielectric housing, the dielectric housing including a mating portion having a waterproof gasket for, in assembly, waterproofing secured holes of a mobile phone. Furthermore, a waterproof layer is filled with a side of dielectric housing of the connector and adjacent to the terminals thereby waterproofing the connector and the terminals.
A third aspect of the present invention is to provide a connector comprising a dielectric housing, the dielectric housing defining a groove for receiving a waterproof gasket. A waterproof layer assembled to the dielectric housing is further waterproofed by a block thereby reliably waterproofing the connector and terminals.